Improvement in harvesters



1. n. ELWARD.

Harvesters.

Patented August 19, 1873.

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NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ELWARD, or sr. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO ST. PAUL HARVESTER WORKS, on SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,868, dated August 19, 1873; application filed March 13, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. ELWARD, of

a. St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvestin g-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this gage-d with its shaft, and a spur or dog for holding the fork or lever when the pinion is engaged with its shaft, and relieving said pinion or its clutch of the pressure of the lever and the rapid wear of the clutch or pinion collar consequent upon such pressure while the pinion is in rotation, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, A represents the outer longitudinal frame-bar; A, the inner bar or gearplank; BB,thetransverseframe-bars; (J0 the frame of the secondary or elevating apron or rake, within which and between bars A A the driving-wheel is located, all constructed and arranged in any usual or desired manner.

The secondary or pinion shaft 1) is mounted in suitable bearings in the frame or gear-plank A, and is provided with a clutch or clutchpin, (1, through the medium of which it is made to drive the pinion E mounted loosely and sliding on the shaft D. The pinion hub is grooved at e to receive the forked end of a pivoted shipping-lever, F, mounted on a pivot on a block or bracket, Gr, attached to the frame or gear-plank A. The block or bracket G is provided with or has cast upon it an arm or spur, g, so arranged relatively to the lever as to limit its movement in one direction-that in which it is actuated by a spring, H, for engaging the pinion with its shaft, and serves to take the pressure of the spring and relieve the pinion hub or collar thereof when the pinion is thus engaged with its shaft, thereby obviating the wear consequent upon allowing the tension of the spring acting through the lever F to bear upon said pinion hub or collar when the latter is rotating rapidly. The rear end of lever F is slotted or perforated to receive one end of a rod or link, I, which, at its other end, is connected with the lower end of a lever, J, the upper end of which is designed to be within convenient reach of the driver in his seat on the machine. The end of rod I,

which is connected with the shipping-fork F,

is provided with a collar, z, and a nut, '03, on opposite sides of the fork or lever arm, the latter '5' serving to actuate the fork against the pressure of the spring H for disengaging the pinion, and the former 11 sufficiently removed from the lever to permit the vibration of the lever to accommodate the backing ratchet action of the pinion when the machine is backed.

The spring H is applied to the frame A A or to the pivot-block G in any suitable man ner for holding the pinion engaged, and the lever J is in like manner provided with a latch, j, and thumb -lever, j, for locking the lever to a rack, 7c, for holding the pinion out or disengaged from its shaft, and for releasing the same and allowing it to engage with its shaft. A spring, H, attached to'the lower end of lever J and bearing at its upper free end against a spur or pin on the transverse frame-bar 0 serves, when the latch j is disengaged from rack 70, to hold the lever in the upright position shown, preventing its acci' dental displacement and consequent action on the shipping fork or lever F.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the pinion or ship-.

ping clutch of a harvesting-machine, of the fork or lever F and spring H for holding the pinion engaged with its shaft in the forward movement of the machine, and at the same time permitting its disengagement in backing, and the stop g for relieving the pinion when thus engaged from the friction due to the ten sion of the spring, as described.

2. The combination of shaft D, pinion E, lever F, spring H, spur g, rod I, nuts z i, lever J, and spring H, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN HLELWARD.

Witnesses:

EDM. F. BROWN, ALEXR. Manon; 

